If I may put in a word about all this pet shop vs shelter debate: if it
weren't for pet stores, I wouldn't know about ferrets, degus, chinchillas
or sugar gliders.  I did at one point work in a small pet store and enjoyed
it greatly.  I was the one who took care of the animals, and they never
lacked anything.  I think the problem in pet stores that do not take good
care of their animals is that they do not hire people who care.  You may
not know a thing about an animal, but if you care, you'll find out.
 
I discovered ferret shelters through a pet store, actually, in Ottawa.
When my Freki found herself on her own - her friend Mitaine had died - I
then contacted the shelter and adopted Milo.  That doesn't stop me from
going into pet stores and drool all over the little ones.  If I hadn't
learned about the shelter, Freki's new companion would have come from a
pet store.
 
Unfortunately, pet stores have much more exposure than the shelters.  The
dream situation would be like PetSmart who works with the Humane Society
with their cats and dogs: animals only come from shelters!
 
Sarah, Freki and Milo
[Posted in FML issue 2822]